Connectable Modular Candle

ABSTRACT

One embodiment of a connectable modular candle which has many projections ( 11 ) which are used to connect to other modular candles cavities ( 15   a ) to create various sculptural candle forms. This embodiment has wick passageways ( 12 ) and wick channel ( 14 ) through which a wick ( 16 ) is threaded from one candle to the next and so on until the desired burn path is created. This embodiment has the advantage of allowing a candle creator to assemble and disassemble a candle sculpture easily and quickly without having to melt and recast the candle. This embodiment has the additional advantages in that it can be used to more easily create large candles as well as allowing these large candles to be lighter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationSer. No. 61/076,635, filed 2008 Jun. 28 by the present inventors.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field

This invention relates to devices which provide illumination through theburning of wax or wax like substances, specifically to an improvedcandle which is assembled by connecting its modular sections to createvarious sculptural forms.

2. Prior Art

Candles have been used for thousands of years to provide illumination aswell as decoration. There are many methods of forming candles. One oldermethod includes repeatedly dipping a burnable wick into a reservoir ofmolten wax. Others include suspending a wick within a mold cavity of anexternal mold while introducing molten wax into the external mold. Manycandles though, share the deficiency as noted by U.S. Pat 20070122759that once a candle has been cast it would have to be melted down inorder to change its appearance. In prior art, to overcome thislimitation U.S. Pat 20070122759 created an illumination device,comprising section(s) of wax having hole(s) through each section for theinsertion of a wick and stacked to create a candle that can berearranged and restacked at any time.

Another example of stacking is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,313 which isconstructed of a series of wax members arrayed in a stack, and can besomewhat reconfigured because of the flexibility and “play” of the wickpassing through the hole through the centers of the wax members. Anotherexample of a stackable candle is U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,960 which is asegmental candle where each segment is provided with cooperative meansfor interengagement with the other segment to insure axial alignment.

Although stacking allows for the creation of an orderly pile of waxsections, it does not provide the ability to create more complexconfigurations which can extend into Cartesian XYZ space. It does noteasily allow for spanning structures like bridges, or overhangingstructures. For example, with the stacking of wax sections you couldcreate a tower but you would not be able to create a model of the Statueof Liberty.

Another difficulty with candle creation using molds is that the size ofthe candle is limited to the size of the mold. In order to make a largercandle a larger mold must be used. Additionally there is also the dangerof handling large amounts of molten wax. Another problem with creatinglarge candles is the larger cavities that form as the wax cools and thencontracts. In prior art this shrinkage has been addressed by U.S. Pat.No. 6,440,349 by putting the candle under pressure conditions but it isstill limited by the size constraints of the mold.

There is, therefore, a need in the industry for an apparatus whichaddress these and other related, and unrelated, problems.

SUMMARY

The present invention discloses a class of illumination devices,connectable modular candles, which include a plurality of wax moduleseach having a plurality of sides with a plurality of projections andaccepting means for interconnection with the various sides of othermodular candles. In addition, there is a plurality of channels allowingwicks to pass through each module into other modules, providing for thecreation of a more complex, configurable candle sculpture.

The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent features of theinvention. These features should be construed to be merely illustrative.Further objects, advantages, and novel features will become apparentupon a reading of the following descriptions and examining theaccompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a connectablemodular candle having primary projections and secondary cooperativecavities.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a first embodiment of a connectablemodular candle.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the candle shown in FIG. 2 along theline 13-13 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 illustrates the assembly of two connectable modular candlesdisplaced relative to one another in the lengthwise direction with awick passing through a wick passageway of the bottom candle, across thewick channel of the upper candle, and up through the wick passageway ofthe top candle.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of FIG. 4 taken on the line 17-17 in thedirection of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of two connected modular candles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a single connectablemodular candle. The projections extending from the top of the candle arereferred to as primary projections 11. These projections are used toconnect candles together. Opening to the outside are cavities which passcompletely through the candle and out through the primary projections11. These cavities will be referred to as wick passageways 12. Theembodiment of this candle is not limited to wick passageways that passonly through primary projections, since wick passageways can passthrough the top flat portions of the candle or sides as well. The wickpassageway is used to pass a wick from one candle to the next.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a single connectablemodular candle. A hollow cavity is shown within the bottom of the candlewhich will be referred to as wick channel 14. The wick channel 14 allowswicks to pass across the inside of the candle from one wick passagewayto another wick passageway. The coupling cavities that accept theprimary projections 11 will be referred to as secondary cooperativecavities 15. Projections 11 are friction fit into cavities 15.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the candle shown in FIG. 2 along theline 13-13 in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 3 shows how passageways12 pass completely through the candle. It shows a side view of channel14 and how it opens to passageways 12. It also shows how cavities 15 canaccept projections 11.

FIG. 4 illustrates the assembly of two embodiments of connectablemodular candles which are displaced relative to one another in thelengthwise direction. The wick, which passes through the bottom candleand out through the top, will be referred to as wick 16. The wick 16enters through one of the secondary cooperative cavities and then thoughone of the wick passageways of the bottom candle, across the wickchannel of the upper candle, and out through one of the wick passageways12 a of the top candle.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of FIG. 4 taken on the line 17-17 in thedirection of the arrows. FIG. 5 shows how wick 16 enters through one ofthe cavities 15 of the lower candle, up through channel 14 and then outof one the passageways 12. The wick 16 then turns and passes across thechannel 14 a of the upper candle and then up through one of thepassageways 12 a and out. FIG. 5 also shows how projections 11 of thelower candle will connect with cavities 15 of the upper candle allowingthe two candles to connect together. The open cavities 15 and 15 a andthe un-connected projections 11 and 11 a illustrate other possibleconnection locations for other candles. The open passageways 12 and 12 ashow how the candles can accept multiple wicks.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of two connected modular candles. Itshows the open cavities 15 and the channel 14. It shows how wick 16passes through one of the passageways 12. The open cavities 15 and 15 ashow where other candles can be connected. The open passageway 12 showswhere the candles can accept multiple wicks and the open channels 14 and14 a show where these wicks can pass across the inside of the candlesfrom one wick passageway to another wick passageway.

Operation—FIGS. 1-6

The manner of using a connectable modular candle is to assemble as manyseparate candle modules as desired. Assembly is done by aligningprojections 12 of one candle to the receiving cavities 15 a of anotherand then pushing them together. While assembling the candles into thedesired shape, wick 16 or wicks 16 should be threaded through in thedesired burning pattern. The finished sculpture can then be displayed orlit as desired.

ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, the present invention may have one or more of the followingadvantages:

(a) in contradistinction to prior art, the advantage of providing anincrease in the complexity of the structure of a candle which can beassembled;(b) the ability to connect and reconnect a plurality of wax modules bythe means of a plurality of projections extending from one module, andarranged to engage the accepting plurality of elements of another moduleduring assembly;(c) it provides a channel or channels, in various orientations, for awick or wicks to pass from one wax module to another, from one waxmodule to many, from many wax modules to many, and from many wax modulesto one. This channeling allows a candle to still be easily assembleddespite its greater complexity.(d) The ability to create small candles that can then be connected tocreate much larger candles without having to handle a large amount ofdangerous molten wax.(e) The ability to create small candles that can then be connected tocreate much larger candles without having to use a larger mold.(f) A decrease in weight compared to an equivalently sized poured candledue to hollow cavities designed to pass wicks from one candle to thenext.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the reader will see that one embodiment of the connectablemodular candle can be used to create candles of various and more complexsculptural forms. In addition, these candles can easily be assembled andreassembled without having to melt and recast the entire candle.Furthermore, the connectable modular candle has the additionaladvantages in that it can be used to more easily create large candles aswell as allowing these large candles to be lighter.

While the above description contains many specificities, these shouldnot be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as anexemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many othervariations are possible. For example, the shape of the individual candlemodules can be of many various shapes as well as the shape of theprojections and the receiving cooperative elements.

1. An illumination device comprising: a. connectable and releasablesection or sections of wax or wax-like material with a plurality ofprojections extending outwardly, and having a plurality of cooperativeelements whereby a plurality of said sections may be connected until thedesired combination is created; b. said section contains a plurality ofchannels and passageways that when aligned and connected with anothersection allow a wick or wicks to pass through from one section intoanother; c. a wick or wicks are then inserted through said wick channelsin said sections until the desired configuration is created, with a wickor wick protruding from the illumination device sufficiently enough tobe ignited; d. said illumination device can be connected and reconnectedat will providing unlimited combinations of, including but not limitedto, shapes, sizes, widths, depths, thicknesses, textures, translucency,color, fragrances, wax and wax-like materials, etcetera.